You need to remember where you have been.
You need to remember where you are.
You don't need to know where you are going.
You don't need to know where you will end up.
Recognize the familiar.
Take advantage of the unknown.
Welcome to my Cup of Cosmos. Enjoy!
(and if you need a second cup, check out my other brewing blogs under my profile)

Friday, August 24, 2012

NYC!

If you need a challenge, I urge you to try to cram your life
into two huge duffel bags, throw a dart in a new direction, set your sights on
new smells, new faces, and new places and head out. Don’t worry about getting
lost–someone is always around the corner with the answer, signs will point you
in the right direction, and the pounding that you feel in your chest will
eventually settle down to its regular rhythm again. In the process you will
find new muscles you never thought you had that will come in handy when your
are dragging your baggage (called your life) around the streets of a new city
(I mean this literally and figuratively).

You will realize that an unknown place that once felt too
big to handle suddenly becomes small, compact, and manageable. Crowds of
people, lines, clutter, slow walkers, fast walkers, busy corners, hustle and
bustle will wear you out. Coffee shops, parks, public gardens and museum
galleries will become your new refuge to seek out the calm and quiet. And along
the way you will find a whole host of folks that are in the exact same place in
life as you–a major transition.

My latest cup of cosmos is overflowing: NYC

Most recent happenings and observations include (but are not
limited to)

A pigeon roaming the baggage claim at JFK

A shoebox of an apartment, crammed with too many people with
too many things

Random mist that falls from god knows where and lands in
your hair/mists your face (gross) as you walk down the street

Sales tax that surprises me at every purchase (something I
will probably never get used to)

A grubby homeless person on the train that gave an
incredible speech about what a poor candidate Romney is and to do everything we
can to support Obama–I happened to agree with everything he said and he made
some good points

Washington Sq. Park is one of my favorite places

New Yorkers are super friendly–don’t believe everything you
hear

New Yorkers are so friendly that they walk you where you
need to be, before heading off to where they are going

People apologize for their shoes

Dress to impress ALWAYS–Tim Gunn is not joking

If you feel dressed up, chances are you are still
underdressed

The subway is hot and smells like pee–it’s just the way it
is–and it’s quite clean compared to India, Morocco, Egypt, etc.so no complaining

At 10pm rats come up for air and roam the tracks, but they
are small compared to the rats on the tracks in India…so be thankful

There is always going to be some sort of mysterious puddle
somewhere…don’t think too hard about what it is…actually…don’t think about it
at all

If you look like you know where you are going someone will
stop you and ask for directions

I need a blindfold walking to class up 5th
Ave–the shopping is unreal

Personal goal: find a new coffee shop everyday

You walk your dogs off here and the blisters are well worth
it

Humidity is not my friend

The water taxi to IKEA rocks!

Not everyone wears heels to work–you change into them when
you get to the office

The lines at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are so long you
think a tornado is heading this way and this is the last day to buy
anything–but this is just normal everyday grocery shopping in NYC

Not everyone on the streets wears deodorant and everyone
should

Restaurants are open late (LOVE THAT)

People walking around are from all over the world

Every time you turn around you spend money

The first time you take the subway alone feels like the
biggest accomplishment of your life

It seems that there are fewer hours in the day on the East
Coast then the West Coast

The city never sleeps

If you don’t hold onto rails in the subway you will fly
forward/backward

Asking people for directions is more reliable than an iPhone

The Farmer’s Market has the biggest sunflowers I have ever
seen

The minute you take a shower and head out into the world you
will feel like you need to shower again

Wait for the crosswalk sign or risk being flattened

Walk fast–you can cover more ground

Don’t call your friends on the West Coast when you get up in
the morning–they are still
sleeping

Find a post office for snail mail

Help a tourist take a picture

Eat everything

Remember to run

Smile

Get plenty of rest–be it a park bench, coffee shop, chair,
subway car, or bed

Find a friend–things are better in pairs

Find lots of friends–the more the merrier

And most importantly–Enjoy a cup. It’s New York!

This cup is for Jessica: who's last cup in the city was my first cup in the city (which I find so poetic). Thank you for helping me land on my feet.

2 comments:

this made me cry, but in a good way. i miss you, new york city, and all of my favorite coffee shops. is it weird that i saw this blog post as i was updating my blog about our coffee date? i think our lives must be connected in a strange, but wonderful way :)